Fallen Flat

That's my start to this Monday morning in a word. Flat.

We discovered my car battery was flat at 5:45am this morning, then with the re-organisation of the morning I forgot I had injected, or forgot to eat...either way I went low. When I did finally get to work, I set the alarm off on the building. They say these things happen in threes... please lets hope this is it...otherwise I think I might have a rocky day ahead of me!

Hoping this isn't one of those days which would have been better had I just not got out of bed!

Conscious Unwind

Sunday, the day of rest. The scheduled day of rest more like it. I love schedule, and despite advances in diabetes technologies and medications working to create a more free, relaxed and 'normal' lifestyle for diabetics, I find that the theories I was taught when diagnosed with diabetes, based on schedule, still work best for me. Maybe this is because I am still on injections, or maybe it is simply because that's the way I first learnt how to deal with diabetes.

Sticking with a schedule can be hard, some weeks more so than others. But it gets me results. This week was jammed packed, and as much as I tell myself every weekend that the week ahead is not going to be so hectic, it some how still is! This week I put just that little too much into my week and my schedule got completely blown. I got tired, really tired. The type of tired where you're having to go without other important things just to find enough time to sleep. The type of tired that makes your blood sugars crash through the floor just because your body can't seem to be bothered enough to hang in there normally. So of course this only leads to the need for more sleep and then HEY PRESTO! I'm caught up in that ridiculous diabetes cycle of blood sugar swings and mood changes, that only a scheduled day of conscious rest can cure.

If I had of stuck to the basic framework of my weekly schedule, this wouldn't of happened. I didn't stick to it because I fell back into my old ways of putting everybody and everything else before myself. Putting ourselves first can seem selfish sometimes, or somehow less important. Sometimes our desire to help others, or to just finish that one last assignment, project or task just takes over. Or even worse, that desire to just be 'normal' and ignore my diabetic needs as I jam more and more in - even though everyone, diabetic or not, shoudl be taking time out to uwind, exercise and eat well, everyday! I even joke that I became 'possessed' by the computer sometimes when I just can't seem to break away to go eat, exercise or dose... sometimes even pushing my limits when I know I'm going low. Without first looking after our own health and well being though, how can we be our best for everyone else? How can we finish that task, wholly look after a third pary or achieve all our goals long term if we don't put our basic needs first

Then its just a matter of remembering this, and actually putting this message into practise - everyday - to be here longer and stronger...

An Average day: CPs to Units

Feel free to leave comments, feedback or advice! My blood sugars are always under 13 now - loving the stability but still way too high. No lows though.... let me know your thoughts!

The Good Stuff

You may have already noticed that I'm a huge believer in the effect of one's positive attitude upon their health and life in general, and the past week has been no exception. Lately, I've been really trying to consciously stay upbeat and not get tired - as its often these two things which result in me temporarily 'falling off the wagon'. It's been a week since I started taking Virgin Coconut Oil and at the moment, I still feel like its just my optimism that has kicked in. Overall my blood sugars have been much more stable but I have not had to drop my insulin dosages. Also, I think that because I've been so conscious about the oil intake, my emotions and energy levels, I've subconsciously been eating better. I've resumed writing EVERYTHING down in my diabetes diary again too which always helps me stay on track.

What am I taking away from the experience so far? Its hard to tell what's making a difference and there's still other elements I want to add to the mix, but it's obvious that good health is clearly a result of a holistic approach.

This week my aims are to increase my exercise levels back closer to my usual amount (30minutes - 1hour a day) and remember to take fish oil daily (greatly helps with my joints and general well being). I'm also currently taking 20 units of Levemir and around 25-30 units of Novorapid a day. I would like to see my overall daily insulin intake drop closer to 30-40 units rather than 40-50.

I'd love to know how much total insulin other type 1's aim to take daily or if there's any vitamins and alternative approaches other diabetics feel have worked for them!

New Starts

I'm excited. And happy. After trying to go to the gym in the mornings for the past couple of weeks, my schedule was out of whack and so I felt totally all over the place: skipping breakfast because I was running late, getting to work late, so then finishing late...and so the cycle went. This week I have rediscovered my morning runs, followed by a coffee and it just feels right. So good.

Its only Wednesday and I've already had a couple of 'new starts'. On the food front, I've started introducing Virgin Coconut Oil into my diet, I'm not expecting to see any impact for about a week, but I am optimistic after all the research I've been doing on the topic (will keep you posted). I'm starting slowly...only two teaspoons a day so far. I've read that for a woman of my age and weight, a recommended dosage would be three tablespoons. Baby steps to start with though.

I also bought my first 'loaf' of pumpernickel, after only having stared at it on the supermarket shelf for a couple of years now! It has about 2CP in every slice, so once the topping is on, it could be considered a whole meal, and despite its small size, its really quite filling. The first day I had it mid afternoon. This was a perfect time. It completely zapped the mid afternoon energy drop and is great before going for a walk or work out after work. Yesterday I had it for breakfast, which I think would have been fine, except I hadn't had time to exercise... So I ended up with a high mid morning blood sugar....Doh.

Another new start comes with the new Rotary year and my new role(s) as Bulletin Editor AND Publicity Director/Board Member of my club. I'm so excited and proud, rejuvenated and reinspired. My first meeting in this role is tonight. No doubt it will keep me busy but I find if there's passion, there's power to get it done.

Its also been a month today since Mum passed. So we've now moved closer to counting the time by months not weeks. It still gets to me, catches me off guard even, and never wont get to me, but there's so much love in my life right now, so much closeness, honesty and 'togetherness'. There's a sense of clarity and a dawning of what's really important and I am grateful for it all.

If any other Type 1's are using Coconut Oil in their diet or have any any experience with it, I'd love to hear from you. You can comment on here or email me.

National Diabetes Week kicks Off!

And am I sure glad to be starting a new week! So despite my optimism, and a pretty good start to the week, I found out on Wednesday that a dear friend of mine had passed away very, very suddenly. The news was absolutely shocking to everyone, we still can't get our heads around it. To think that such a young and lively soul is now no longer with us. Just like that. Its hard to find the words to express the situation.

As much as I hate to admit it, I'm in a rough patch and its hard. Its hard to get up every morning and keep all the wheels turning and the balls in the air. If there were just one lesson I think I'm supposed to take away from this time, is that life is short: its a blessing and a gift, not a given, not a certainty. So more than ever, I am looking to ensure diabetes is number one in my life, and even though this week is focused on Type 2 awareness, it still serves as a reminder to put our health first, be happy, and live fully.

Read more about National Diabetes Week here

What a Week!

What a week! Not only did we seem to (rather wonderfully) celebrate my birthday for most of the week, I started back at the gym, and we had a sell out performance season open! As much as i tired for stability, with the mix of activities and coming off the back of a turbulent few weeks, there were a definite couple of highs and lows. It all came to a head by Thursday morning, when I suddenly felt really ill, checking my blood sugar every five seconds only seemed to give me sore fingers, and make me feel stupid as my blood sugar was a cool 6 every time. Then all of a sudden, at a big work morning tea event, I totally crashed. You know one of those lows where the jellybeans just don’t seem to be kicking in? I couldn’t focus on anything anyone was saying and I tried desperately just to sit calmly, waiting for it to go back up. 15minutes later it was still 3.1. I thought some orange juice might help but on first attempt to get up, my legs turned to jelly and I flopped back down in the chair. To my amazement, no one seemed to notice, or offer to help, and here I was, feeling like I was making a scene and mildly hyperventilating.  In fact, this really was one of the rare occasions where I had felt like just saying ‘Alright I give up, take me to the hospital’. After hazily walking to the bar and freaking the bar staff out, a sucked down a glass of orange juice in what I can only assume was a Guinness world record.

Our performance season opened that night which meant a looooog day (9am – 8pm) By Thursday night, my body was in complete protest which resulted in my meter simply saying ‘Hi’! After injecting and downing a bucket of water, I basically passed out on impact with the bed. Why did that have to happen in my first week back? On our Opening Night? AND make me exhausted for my birthday celebrations the next night!?!? Diabetes can be so inconvenient sometimes!

As you can imagine, I spent most of the weekend recovering, and sleeping. Monday was tough this week and my blood sugars were slightly elevated, but at least they were stable. Today I’m doing something different again, we’re cleaning the house and garages out – a massive massive spring clean...in the winter...we’d die in pools of sweat if we were cleaning out houses in spring/summer here!

Here’s to hoping there’s no lows today and I get through the day like a diabetes champion!